How to Compare Pittsburgh Electric Suppliers
With recession concerns growing stronger and prices on basic necessities becoming shocking, it’s a good idea to do everything you can to lower your costs. One way to save money is to find the best electricity plan that gives you a lower rate. When you compare Pittsburgh electric suppliers, you can narrow down the options to the best choice. Keep these tips in mind when you compare Pittsburgh electric providers to help keep your energy costs low.
7 Tips to Keep in Mind
There are many electric suppliers offering electricity plans in the Pittsburgh area. Sure, you want to find the best electric plan, but the electricity provider should be awesome, too. Here’s what to look out for.
- Choose a fixed rate plan: When comparing electric suppliers, see what term lengths they offer in their fixed rate plans. Fixed rate plans let you can lock in a specific price over a set term. On the other hand, variable rate prices change each month; jumping up and down based on what the natural gas market is doing. Since natural gas prices are volatile lately, so you shouldn’t leave electricity prices to chance.
- Compare offered incentives: Electric suppliers often offer incentives when you sign up for a plan. These include things like a $50 gift card for a popular restaurant or rewards points you can collect and use at restaurants and stores. These incentives are tempting, but make sure you’ll be able to use them. For example, if the gift card is for a restaurant in California and you don’t travel outside PA, that incentive won’t come in handy.
- Be aware of early termination fees (ETF): If you leave your plan before the contract ends, you may have to pay an ETF to your provider. Often these are very costly fees, but not all fixed rate plans have these. Be sure to check your plan’s contract summary or Terms of Service for details.
- Be cautious with monthly recurring charges: Electricity suppliers may add monthly recurring charges to their plans. While these are usually not very much, they can add to the total cost. Look at the terms of service to see if the plan contains this charge. If so, you may want to choose a different plan if it will drive up the cost of your monthly bill too much.
- Know your average energy use: As you compare different electricity providers, consider how much energy you use each month. By knowing your average use, you can determine what plans are more cost efficient than others on your list. For example, a plan with a low rate and monthly charge may still be better for your household than a higher rate plan with no monthly charge. You can determine your energy usage by looking at your prior electric bills.
- Beware of extra fees electricity providers charge: Electricity providers sometimes charge extra fees, such as fees with certain payment methods. Look at the plan’s terms of service to find the list of fees a provider charges.
- Know what happens at the end of your term: While you wouldn’t expect it, the end of your contract can be crucial to saving you money. First of all, don’t throw away any renewal notices! These tell you about the choices your provider is offering you and what you need to do. Your electricity provider may automatically start you in a new plan, such as a month-to-month plan at a variable rate. And this could be costly.
Get the Best Electric Rate Today
Don’t freeze in place as you start the search for a new Pittsburgh electric plan! You have all the tools you need to research energy providers and pick the best electricity plan for your family. Visit https://www.paenergyratings.com to get started!